What is the speed limit near a school in California?
What is the speed limit within 500 feet of a school in California while children are outside or crossing the street?
The answer
The speed limit is 25 mph within 500 feet of a school while children are outside or crossing the street.
The handbook states the speed limit is 25 mph within 500 feet of a school while children are outside or crossing the street.
It also notes that some school zones post a lower limit than 25 mph, so obey the signs. Near a school, watch for children and stop for those in a crosswalk.
Exceptions
- The handbook says posted signs for a particular school zone may set a lower limit than 25 mph.
Why this rule matters for safety
Children are small, hard to see and may step into the road suddenly. Lower speed gives you time to stop.
Official sources
- California Driver's Handbook, Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road (continued) · California DMVAround Children: school zone speed limit; no edition date shown on the page; site copyright 2026
Rules checked against these sources on . Laws change. Confirm with the California agency before you rely on this for a legal matter.
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